yat_chum wrote:Hi Dim Mak, what style do you do? I think that the belt drill is an excellent training method for most styles. You can still be evasive in belt range. I disagree about the level of contact, you don't need to hit hard to let someone know you could have got the strike in. Do you train sticking or pushing hands? They will help.
I My first style was Isshin-Ryu/ Isshin kenpo. Then I trained for a bit in kickboxing and brazilian jujitsu. I did standing meditation and qigong for a while but I've just recently gotten interested in taiji and bagua. I also go to school for acupuncture which I incorporate, but I don't really teach. I have always liked the belt drill as well, and I agree you can still be evasive, but you are forced to do it in a more confined space instead of running all over the place. About the contact; I'm not sure if it's my training methods or what, but usually about this middle range where they first start sparring with a little hard contact, if I check my shots too much, my students just punch through the checked blows. I think they are too focused on their attack plan and the excitment to realize that their opponents punches still hurt. Do you think push hands will help with this? How so?
Inga wrote:Thank you for your positive feedback. I guess the only other points I can think to add just now, based on your response, is firstly, that being confident at a few good moves is okay I think.
It certainly is. In fact, I encourage my students to get really good at only one or two kicks (out of about 20) at first for this very reason. I teach them all and tell the students to pick a couple of the ones they are most comfortable with for sparring at first.
I agonise often that I can't manage somethings due to my size/strength, but my sifu advises me to stick with what I am good at and make it GOOD.
Don't worry about this. I used to be the same way, and most of the men in my class were much bigger than me (boy aren't those shoulder throw or submission days fun when you are the smallest person by at least 40-50 lbs?
) To me this is way better in the long run. After being the underdog so many times it gives you a sort of ferocious spirit. Now, I am still skinny, and I train a couple of pretty big guys that call me teacher and flinch when I raise my leg to kick. It may sound dumb, but that makes me proud. Just as your teacher says, make a handful of techniques really good, master every situation with those techniques, but always be ready to adapt if what you are doing isn't working (so learn a versitile but minimal range and make sure you include techniques or applications that have stopping power).
My second thought is, if your training partner has just started, she is bound to simply evade and forget to attack. That comes with practice, it needs to get into your muscle memory.
I have found that it is better to build good habits at first, instead of trying to correct bad habits later. I realize that there is a lot to think about when sparring, but now that we are making contact, I want her to have a solid foundation. After reading your perspective, I think maybe I should modify the drill. I might just start her out by drawing a box on the ground or something, unless someone has a specific drill they used or something. I don't want her to get discouraged, but I don't want her to build false confidence either.
It's taken me two years to learn my basics, to get a good foundation, some understanding and muscle memory. And now I am starting to put things together, I am getting more comfortable with engaging in drills. And yet I can still see I've only just begun. Be patient with her.
I have been training for almost 9 years, so I tend to forget what it was like starting out. I just don't want her to feel like she is missing out because the guys are moving up (she's better than some of these guys).
Thanks to both of you for your responses